Departed Grace

Thursday 30 November
READ: Judg. 16: 1 - 20   
MORE LESSON:  Heb. 12: 15 – 17

The grace of God must never be taken for granted to make men live in wilful sin. The love of God is unconditional and the grace of God is unmerited but there is a part that every man needs to play to stay within the confines of God's grace. Heb.12:15 makes it clear that a man that has received grace can fall short of grace when he allows defilement, Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled. This is the reason Eccl. 9: 8 instructs, Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment. The ointment of oil stands for the anointing and grace of God in your life. For your head not to lack oil, your garments must always remain white. Holiness preserves grace and sin destroys it.
Samson was a man of unusual grace. His birth was prophesied during an angelic visit and the Spirit of the Lord came occasionally upon him to do exploits. He was a Nazarite from his mother's womb and single-handedly destroyed armies of the enemy and slayed lions. However, as he became increasingly famous and powerful, he began to entertain sin in his life. He began to go after strange women; he even slept with a harlot. When the Philistines came to ambush him by locking the gate of the city where he was so that he wouldn't escape, he woke up, shook himself, carried the gate, beams and lock all the way to his country.

The grace of God still worked for him so he thought that he could continue in sin and grace would abound (Rom. 6: 1). This led him to begin another affair with a woman of Philistine called Delilah. Delilah enticed him till he told her the secret of God's grace on his life. The woman made sure she reduced the grace on his life to nothing before she handed him over to his enemies. When the Philistines came to take him, the Bible says that he woke up from sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him: Judg. 16:20. The grace had departed! The power was gone; he had lost it to sin.

This is why every child of God must not be deceived by any message that makes him think that he can live a reckless life and God's grace will continue to abound. Saul was equally anointed with the Spirit of the Lord and he even prophesied (1 Sam. 10: 10) but when he started living in rebellion, the Spirit of God departed from him and an evil spirit came to torment him (1 Sam. 16: 14). God's grace will not depart from your life, in Jesus' name. But remember, ...let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall: 1 Cor. 10:12.

Prayer/Action
* I pray against the forces of Ichabod in my life and destiny, in Jesus’ name.
* I declare that whatever causes grace to depart from a man shall not be your portion, in the name of Jesus.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Father, I lift up my two hands and I declare that November will not leave me without a witness and evidence even at this eleventh hour; thank You Lord for November, in the name of Jesus.